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Postecoglou primes Victory to steal Del Piero's limelight

Guy Hand

MELBOURNE Victory coach Ange Postecoglou does not see his team as Alessandro Del Piero's sideshow on Saturday - he wants them to be the main event.

If Postecoglou has anything extra aside from his team's normal tactics to pester and negate the Sydney FC maestro in their A-League clash, he is not telling.

In front of a sold-out AAMI Park - in large part due to the Italian star's magnetism on his first A-League visit to Melbourne - Postecoglou wants the Victory to prove themselves as the star attraction, and close in on a top-two spot.

''I know what Melbourne Victory fans want to see tomorrow night, and it's nothing to do with Del Piero,'' Postecoglou said. ''It's the big stage. That's where individuals and teams get tested. As we get towards the end of the season, games will get bigger and bigger with more importance.

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''Tomorrow night's a bit of a dress rehearsal to see how we cope with all that. I'm pretty confident the way we're travelling as a team, we'll be up for it.''

Last time the two teams met, Del Piero was instrumental in setting up a 2-0 lead for the Sky Blues.

Then he was substituted, and the Victory produced an extraordinary late show to win 3-2.

Del Piero was at his imperious best with four goals in a 7-1 rout of Wellington Phoenix last weekend.

But the Victory's full-pitch defensive harassment has improved markedly since the last time they faced Del Piero.

Postecoglou said Del Piero would be treated like any other player, and his role was for Sky Blues coach Frank Farina to work out.